


The Roads That Led Us Here

by Beth9501



Series: After the Footage Airs [4]
Category: The Office (US)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Love, Roadtrip, Romance, Short & Sweet, Sweet, country
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:40:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23996161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beth9501/pseuds/Beth9501
Summary: An afternoon drive, old memories, and the joy of romance.
Relationships: Cecelia Halpert & Jim Halpert, Cecelia Halpert & Phillip Halpert, Pam Beesly & Cecelia Halpert, Pam Beesly & Jim Halpert, Pam Beesly/Jim Halpert
Series: After the Footage Airs [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1730410
Kudos: 9





	The Roads That Led Us Here

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

As Pam and Jim drove down the heavily open backroads of Texas, country music blaring, the windows rolled down, and the kids singing happily to the classics, Pam smiled to herself.

While her life wasn’t entirely perfect, it was dang near. Staring outside and watching the landscape pass her by with her hair whipping all around her face, she thought about the road that had led them here. Grabbing Jim’s hand softly, she wrapped her fingers around his.

They had come so far in their relationship together. Pam recalled the time right after Jim had left her and a wave of grief overcame her. She could feel those emotions as if the wound was fresh. Whenever she allowed herself to think about them on a deeper level it was as if she was actively reliving the nightmare of losing him. Life had felt bleak during that time in her life. She thought Jim leaving would be the worst thing that happened to her, but found out later that the worst thing was him coming back to Scranton as a different person completely.

Glancing over the Jim and squeezing his hand she smiled and said, “I love you” so softly he might not have even heard. 

Moving her head to turn back to the window to watch the dust being kicked up from their adventure, she let the memories take her again. 

When Jim had come back, he hadn’t really come back. Yes, he was Jim, yes his body was there, but the personality was that of a stranger. She recalled seeing him flirt with Karen all the time and swore to herself that Roy and her hadn’t been nearly as obnoxious and in everyone’s faces about it. Pam would get swept up in the sadness she felt every night she went back home alone after work. She had found a new love of wine during that time and felt a lack of inspiration for her paintings. She wasn’t much of a wine drinker now, but her inspiration for new paintings was never-ending. 

Counting the cows out the window as they drove past a pasture, she blushed remembering all the nights she had just prayed for warmer, sunnier days where her life and Jim’s would become one. It seemed embarrassing now to think about, but at the time it was those fleeting moments of hope that had kept her going.

Pam turned around to see her kids thoroughly enjoying themselves and smiled before smiling at Jim who could tell she was feeling her feelings deeply today. He rubbed his thumb along her hand softly, staring ahead at the road, with a half smile.

The drive didn’t last much longer and they arrived back at their home. The kids ran upstairs to their own rooms happy to have some space which left Pam and Jim alone in the kitchen.

Setting the keys down on top of the mail, Jim crossed the room where Pam had her back to him putting some dishes in the dishwasher. He rested his hands on her shoulders, moving her hair slightly so he could pepper kisses along the right side of her neck while she sighed. He lingered a moment at her ear, “May I ask what Mrs. Halpert was thinking during the ride this afternoon?” Jim asked quietly, his hands gingerly moving to her waist and slowly turning her around so she was facing him and pinned between his hands and the sink.

“Mrs. Halpert was thinking about the road that we took to get here. The drive reminded me of how lucky I am to have you in my life”. Pam said glancing down briefly at his hands before biting her lip slightly, and looking up at him between her eyelashes.

“Oh, Beesly, I am the lucky one” He responded, his hands now moving up and down the length of her waist.

Pam giggled. She was “Mrs. Halpert” when he was serious and seriously romantic, but “Beesly” when he was goofy and silly with some romance sprinkled in. Jim liked to switch between them and it always kept her on her toes.

Jim wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him, whispering in her ear, “would you like to dance with me?” 

Pam nodded her response and they separated briefly while he queued up the special playlist they had created with their favorite songs to slow dance to.

Sam Cooke’s For Sentimental Reasons medley was the first to play and he grabbed her hand softly and wrapped her up in his embrace. 

They slow danced (or rather swayed- neither were that great of dancers, but the closeness made them feel at home) around the kitchen singing to each other.

I love you for sentimental reasons  
I hope you do believe me  
I'll give you my heart

I love you  
And you alone were meant for me  
Please give your loving heart to me  
And say we'll never part

I think of you every morning  
Dream of you every night  
Darling I'm never lonely  
Whenever you're in sight

It was obvious that Jim was a romantic to anyone who saw them together. However, Pam was the lucky one who had the privilege to see both the immense love he held for her and the deep cracks in his heart from her initial rejection. Over time, the cracks became more filled in and his heart became full.

Jim spun her around and then held her, singing into her ear while her back was now against his chest. Pam closed her eyes and let her head fall back, taking it all in.

Pam swayed and got caught up in memories again. 

This time it was her senior prom. She remembered how adament Roy had been against dancing saying it was for losers and refused to dance with her for even one song. Once they had gotten engaged, he had told her they weren’t having a first dance and that it was okay because they didn’t need to be “traditional”. Pam had accepted that, but it crushed her deep down.

She was snapped out of her memories when Jim spun her around to face him and placed his hands on her cheeks. Wet cheeks at that, Pam noticed. 

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Jim asked.

Staring into his eyes, Pam grabbed his face between her hands and brought his lips to hers and kissed him with all her might and didn’t let go.

A moment later they pulled apart, both out of breath and feeling dazed as they let oxygen reach their brains again.

“To answer your question, Halpert, nothing is wrong at all. Everything is absolutely perfect and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” 

Jim smiled down at her and kissed her softly again before saying, “I’m glad the roads we each took led us here, Mrs. Halpert...so glad”.

Before sealing it with a kiss once more, Pam responded, “Me too, Mr. Halpert..me too”.


End file.
